Can't find the answer here?
This is a list of terms and their explanations used by the Curtin University Library. If you would like to suggest more terms for this list, please contact us.
Please note:
This is not an authorised dictionary of library terms and some of these terms may be used differently in other disciplines.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
A-Z Database List
An alphabetical list that provides a link to all the databases the Library subscribes to.
Abstract
A summary of the content of a publication.
After Hours Chute
This is where you can return your Library items when the Library is closed. It is located on the east side of the Robertson Library building near the entrance on Level 2.
ADT
The Australasian Digital Theses Program is a database of digital versions of theses produced by postgraduate research students at Australian universities. This also includes theses completed by Curtin students. For Curtin theses you can also search the Theses subset of the Library Catalogue.
Alerts
An alert is a method used by database publishers to inform their subscribers that new articles are available on a given search topic or from a specific journal or when an article has been cited by a new article. The phrase 'alerting service' is also used.
Alumni
Refers to students who have graduated from University. Curtin University provides continuing services for all their graduates.
Annual
A publication that appears once a year. A 'yearbook' or 'year book' is an annual publication.
Article Find It
Allows you to check whether a specific journal article is available online. If it is not available, you be will offered other services that might help you to find your article.
AskOnline
An Instant Messenger Service where Librarians answer your questions online in real-time and help you find the information you need. If you have a complex question, they may need to contact you later by email or phone.
Audio Visual
An audio visual (AV) collection may consist of videorecordings, DVD's, multimedia CD-ROMS, slides and kits as well as microfiche and microfilm. Most Curtin libraries have some AV material. In the Robertson Library the AV Collection is on Level 5, and microfiche and microfilm are located on Level 4. You can borrow most of this material.
Authentication
This means that you must type in your Curtin ID and Curtin Password to access Library resources.
Author
The person(s) or group responsible for the intellectual or artistic content of a work. The person who has written or created the published material i.e. the book, book chapter, journal article, report, dissertation or web page etc.
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B
In the Curtin Library Catalogue 'B' stands for a Booklet. Booklets are small publications and are shelved separately from other books. You will see a B before the shelf number in the Library catalogue and on the spine of the book. The catalogue entry will be similar to this: Robertson Library Level 5 Booklets B 374.0130994 AUS.
Bibliography
A list of references to works that have been consulted or referred to when preparing a publication. A bibliography usually appears at the end of a paper, article, book chapter, book, dissertation or report. A bibliography can also be a book consisting entirely of citations, usually in a specific subject area. See the Referencing page for further information.
Boolean operators
Boolean operators are terms that help you to either narrow or broaden your searches in library catalogues and databases. They are the words 'and', 'or', 'not', typed between your search terms. For more explanation see InfoTrekk Trek 2: How to combine keywords.
Borrower Information
Your borrower information is available from the link in the Library Catalogue and from the Library home page.
This allows you to check your current loans, previous loans, fines or hold requests and you can also renew your existing loans.
CAA Lab
The Computer Assisted Assessment lab is located on Level 5 of the Robertson Library.
Catalogue
A database of all the material that the Library holds or provides access to. The Catalogue will show you where an item is located and if it is available or on loan.
Check Shelf
In the Library Catalogue, 'check shelf' means that an item has not been borrowed and should be available on the shelf at the stated shelf number. Remember to note down the floor level as well as the shelf number .
Check Availability
In the Catalogue, if you click on Check Availability, you will find out if the item has been borrowed ('On Loan') or is available for you to borrow (Check Shelf).
Citation
Information such as author, date, title, page numbers which identifies a publication i.e. book, book chapter, journal, web page etc. Citations can also be called "references" and are listed in a bibliography or reference list, usually found at the end of the publication and listed in a specific referencing 'style'. See Referencing for information on referencing styles.
Closed Collection
This is a special collection of Library items that are only available for 2 hour loan and can only be used in the Library. You will need to see staff at the Enquiries Desk to borrow from the Closed Collection.
Collection Development
Activities that relate to the building of a library collection including; selecting materials, identifying what students and staff require and maintaining the collection. See the Curtin University Library's Collection Development Principles.
Compactus
Large moveable shelves, both electronic and manual, that are located on levels 4, 5 and 6. They hold bound, and some loose, past years' of journals.
Copyright
Copyright is the legal protection given to an author's work to protect them from unauthorised copying. All Curtin staff and students must comply with copyright legislation.
Corporate author
An organisation (association, institution, government agency, society or commercial organisation) that is considered to be the author of a publication.
Curtin ID
Your Curtin ID is your staff, student or other borrower number.
Curtin Password
Your Curtin password is required to log into many of the Library's electronic resources.
Database
A collection of references to journal articles that may be searched with keywords for a topic, author etc. Databases also provide a summary of the article and may provide the complete article online. Other terms used are 'indexing database', 'journal database', 'online database', 'periodical database', 'bibliographic database', 'full text database'. For more information, see InfoTrekk Trek 6: Finding Journal Articles.
Digital Theses
An electronic or digital version of a thesis that you can read online. You can search the Catalogue Subsets to view our collection of Curtin theses.
Display (Level 3)
When new items come into the Library they are displayed on Level 3. You may borrow any new book or DVD but new journals can only be read in the Library. If you need information from the journal, you can photocopy the article.
Dissertation
Another term for a thesis. In the Curtin Library Catalogue, choose the Catalogue Subsets to view our collection of Curtin theses.
Document Delivery Service
This service for Curtin staff and postgraduate students will obtain items, not held at Curtin, from other libraries in Australia or overseas. See Document Delivery Service for more details.
Due Date
This is the date that you should return to the Library an item that you have borrowed.
E-Books
An electronic or digital version of a book that you can read online. Search the E-Books subset in the Library Catalogue to find our many E-Book titles.
Editor
The person responsible for preparing or assembling a work or collection of works or articles by different authors for publication. This is not the same as the author of a work.
e-DocDel
The Document Delivery Service for Curtin postgraduate students and staff is used to request journal articles, books and videos from other libraries. Undergraduate students can use the Catalogue's Request option to obtain items from other Curtin libraries or use reciprocal borrowing privileges to borrow from other WA university libraries.
E-Journals
Electronic versions of journals that you can read online. E-Journals can be found through the Catalogue, the Find e-Journal option on the Library home page and from selected databases.
Electronic Resource
A publication in digital format which is stored and must be read on a computer.
EndNote
EndNote is bibliographic management software that you can use to manage your references. You can create a 'library' or database of references and add the citations into a Word document to automatically produce your reference list or bibliography in a specific referencing style at the end of your essay. (You must download the software to your home computer or laptop from the Curtin website).
Enquiries Desk
All Curtin Libraries have an Enquiries Desk service where Library staff can help you to find and use the Library's resources and services. The Enquiries Desk in the Robertson Library is located on level 2 near the entrance.
E-Reserve
Electronic Reserve is a collection of electronic documents available through the Library Catalogue. In the Catalogue choose the Reserve Collection subset. E-Reserve items are generally journal articles, book chapters and conference papers recommended by lecturers.
ERIC
A huge education database with references and abstracts of journal articles and ERIC Documents (online from 1993). Curtin Library also holds most ERIC documents on microfiche on Level 4.
espace@Curtin
A digital collection of research papers written by Curtin staff and that are freely available and accessible worldwide.
Esperance
Refers to our Esperance Library located in a coastal town that is 720 kilometres south east of Perth.
F
F before a shelf number in the Library Catalogue indicates a Folio sized book. These are very large books shelved separately from other books in the Library collection. You will The Catalogue entry looks like this: Robertson Library Level 4, F 325.21 KIS.
Faculty Librarians
Each faculty has a Faculty Librarian who is available to help staff and research students use the Library resources and services.
FAQ
The Library has a list of Frequently Asked Questions that provide you with information about various Library services and resources.
Find It
You may see a 
button next to a journal reference in a database. Clicking on this and then following the Go button can lead you to the full text of the journal article in another database or further information about where you can find the full article.
Fines
A fine is a penalty that you will incur for returning Library items after their due date. More information about fines.
Full text
The complete article or chapter of a publication that is available online. A 'Full text database' may provide the full article for most, but not all, of the journal references you find in a search.
Gecko
Gecko is
a menu system that helps you to find databases and other information
sources in broad subject areas e.g. education, chemical engineering,
applied geology, pharmacy etc. You can use Gecko's 'Metasearch' feature
to search several databases at once and its 'MySpace' feature to choose
and return to your favourite databases.
Group Study Room
Group study rooms are available on Level 4, 5 & 6 for use by 3 or more people who want to work together. You can choose from rooms with or without computers.
Hold
When you recall an item and it is returned to the Library, it will be held for you at the Enquiries Desk ('on hold for you'). You will be notified by email when it is available for you to collect it.
Holdings
Refers to items held by the Library. In the Journals section of the Curtin Library Catalogue the Holdings statement gives details of the volumes and years that we hold of a journal . For example:
I drive (I:)
Otherwise known as the Student I: drive, this drive is accessible from "My Computer" on any networked computer in the Library. You can also access the I:drive and Health R:drive from the Abacus Labs on campus.
Impact Factor
This is the measure of the frequency with which the "average article" in a journal has been cited. The impact factor will help you evaluate a journal’s relative importance, especially when you compare it to others in the same field. It is calculated by dividing the number of current citations to articles published in the two previous years by the total number of articles published in the two previous years.
Index
An alphabetical list of names, subjects, etc., with references to the pages in a book/journal where they occur. In a database an Index is a list of subject terms which are allocated to journal articles to help describe them and which can be useful when you are choosing search terms.
In Process
This is a term used in the Library Catalogue to describe an item that is not yet available for loan. The 'In process' number shows how close an item is to being on the shelf.
InfoTrekk
InfoTrekk is a guide to finding information in 10 modules. It describes how you can approach finding information for any essay or presentation topic, whether you are studying from home or on campus. InfoTrekk Plus is a guide to finding more specialised information such as legislation, statistics and theses.
ISBN
The International Standard Book Number is an internationally recognised standard number that uniquely identifies a book.
ISSN
The International Standard Serial Number is an internationally recognised standard number that uniquely identifies a serial or journal publication.
JCPML
The John Curtin Prime Ministerial Library is a research collection of material (much of it digitised) on the life and times of the Australian wartime prime minister and international statesman John Curtin (1885-1945). It also arranges exhibitions and educational and public programs for Curtin University and the wider community, including schools, and is located in Building 200 on the Curtin University campus.
Journal
A periodical publication that is issued regularly (such as monthly, quarterly, six-monthly or annually). A 'journal' differs from a 'magazine' or 'trade publication' or 'newspaper' in that its articles are usually better researched, are longer and may have a list of references. Other terms are 'academic journal', 'peer-reviewed journal', 'scholarly journal'. For more information see InfoTrekk Trek 6: Finding Journal Articles.
Kalgoorlie
The Kalgoorlie Campus Library is located approximately 600 kms east of Perth.
Keyword
A significant word or concept that can be used to search databases, catalogues or search engines to find relevant articles, books, videos, websites etc. See Trek 1 and Trek 2 of InfoTrekk.
LC Subject Heading
Library of Congress Subject Headings are standard terms used to classify and describe the content of publications. You can search on these terms in the Curtin Library Catalogue but you must know the exact LCSH term. It is best to choose a Keyword search.
Librarian
A professional staff member who works in the Library along with Library Technicians, Library Assistants, Rovers, Student Assistants and Administration Assistants, to name a few.
Library BLOG
The Library Blog is available from the Library home page to provide news about new services, competitions and new books in the Library. Have your say!
Lost
"Lost' is the term used in the Library Catalogue to show that an item cannot be located in the Library. Library items that are more than 42 days overdue are regarded as being lost and may be re-ordered.
Microfiche
A sheet of film containing a number of very small images (of pages, photos etc.). You will need to use a microfiche reader/printer to read and print the pages.
Microfilm
A length of film containing a number of very small images of pages, photos etc. You will need a microfilm reader/printer to read and print the pages. Many daily newspapers are published in microfilm to save space.
Microform
A generic term for all forms of micro records, including microfilm and microfiche.
Missing
In the Library Catalogue 'Missing' means that a Library item cannot be found. It may be re-ordered.
MRSS
The Mastering Research Resources Seminar series are free workshops that are held in the Library for our postgraduate students and researchers. See our Library Workshop Schedule.
Muresk
The
Muresk Institute Library is approximately 100km east of Perth.
Murray Street
Refers to the Graduate School of Business Library in Murray Street, Perth. It is in the Perth CBD area.
Networked Printers
Printers that are connected to our Library's internet computers, allowing you to print from anywhere in the Library. Documents that you send to the networked printers stay there for 2 hours.
Off Campus Library Service
This loan and photocopy service is available to students who are enrolled at Curtin but who do not live in the Perth Metropolitan Area or in the post code areas of Kalgoorlie/Boulder or Northam (where we have branch libraries). The Off Campus Library Service is provided to students who aren't able to easily access our libraries in person. However, much library material is also available online on the Internet.
On Loan
In the Library Catalogue 'On Loan' means that the item has been borrowed and is due back on the date that is shown.
On Order
In the Library Catalogue 'On Order' means that an item has been ordered from a supplier but has not yet been received by the Library.
OPAC
An Online Public Access Catalogue; for example, the Curtin Library Catalogue.
Overdue
This refers to a Library item that is on loan but hasn't been returned by its due date. Once an item is overdue a fine is charged.
Peer-reviewed journal
This is a journal where experts in the same subject area as the author must review and approve the articles before they are published by the journal. Similar terms used are: 'refereed journal', 'scholarly journal' and 'academic journal'. To find peer-reviewed journal articles on a topic you can search a journal database.
Periodical (P)
A periodical is a regular publication such as a journal, magazine or newsletter. It may be published weekly, monthly, every six months or once a year etc. At Curtin shelf numbers of a periodicals begin with P; for example P 650 44910.
Podcast
A podcast is a sound file that you can access on the internet and listen to or download to an MP3 player, iPod etc. The Library offers a series of Podcasts.
Postgraduate
Someone who has completed their first degree and is studying for a higher degree such as a Masters Degree, Postgraduate Diploma, PhD etc.
Publisher
A company or person that makes publications available. Some examples are McGraw Hill, Longmans, Palgrave Macmillan and Law Book Company.
Quarto (Q)
The letter 'Q' before a shelf number means 'quarto' or large book. Quarto books are usually found on separate shelves. You can use a floor plan to find where they are.
Quarterly
A journal or magazine that is published four times a year, usually every three months.
Recall
Through the Library Catalogue, you can recall an item that is on loan to another person. They will receive an e-mail and then must return the item to the Library earlier than the 'due date', so that you can borrow it. It can take about 2 weeks for a recalled item to be returned to the Library and you will be advised by email that you can collect it.
Reciprocal borrower
Curtin University students and staff can borrow books from the libraries of Edith Cowan University, the University of Western Australia and Murdoch University. To be a reciprocal borrower you must take your Curtin ID card and proof that you are enrolled for the current semester and register with that Library before you can borrow their books. You must return the books directly to that library.
Refereed journal
This is another term for a 'peer-reviewed' journal. It is a journal whose articles must be reviewed and approved by experts (the authors' peers) before they can be published. Similar terms used are 'scholarly journal' and 'academic journal'.
Reference Collection (R)
A Reference Collection holds 'reference' books such as dictionaries, encyclopaedias, atlases, pharmacopoeias and handbooks which you can only use in the library. In the Robertson Library, the Reference Collection is on Level 2. Other Curtin libraries have small reference collections.
Reference list
A list of books, journal articles, websites etc. that appears at the end of an essay or publication and gives the full details of the sources of information that have been 'cited' or referred to in the content. See InfoTrekk Trek 9:Referencing.
Renew
To extend the loan period of an item that you have borrowed. You can renew items through the 'Your Borrower Information' link on the Curtin Library home page and in the Library Catalogue, but only before the date they are due to be returned.
Request
If an item is available ('Check shelf') at another Curtin Library from your own, you can have it sent to your library by selecting 'Request' and entering your Curtin ID and Password. It may take from 1 to 4 days to arrive.
Reserve Collection
The Reserve Collection on Level 2 of the Robertson Library holds material in high demand that is selected by lecturers and is, usually, listed in your unit outlines. Books can be borrowed for two hours and, in some cases, overnight. There are chapters and articles in an online E-Reserve. You can find the Reserve link in the Library Catalogue and on the Library home page.
Robertson Library
The Robertson Library is the Main Library, Building 105, on the Curtin University campus in Bentley. It was named after Thomas Logan Robertson.
Rover
Student rovers are available in the Robertson Library to help students with printing, copying, wireless or other problems with Library computers or photocopiers. Just dial 4183 from a Library Help Phone.
Scholarly journal
This is a journal whose articles are written for a university or research audience by academics and researchers. They may be published by a university, scholarly society or commercial academic publisher. Their content is different from magazines and popular journals.
Selected full text
You may find that some databases do not provide the full text of every article from a journal, only selected articles.
Self-service loans machines
Machines that enable you to borrow books quickly by scanning the barcodes on your ID card and inside the back of the book. Follow the instructions given on the machine, but if you have problems you can take the books to the Enquiries Desk. In the Robertson Library the loans machines are on Level 2.
Shelf number
The subject number that is shown in the Library Catalogue as
well on the book, journal etc that enables you to find it on the shelf.
For a book, it is the Dewey number for the subject followed by the first 3 letters
of the author's family name or the title e.g. 629.2222 HIR. For a journal,
the shelf number is P followed by a subject number and then 5 more numbers
e.g. P 820 64414.
Silent Zone
Use the Silent Zones on Levels 4, 5 or 6 if you want a completely silent study area. There are also 'Quiet' areas where you can talk softly without disturbing others.
Slide
In the Library Catalogue, 'slide' means a set of slides.
Sorting shelves
Books and journals that have recently been returned are placed on sorting shelves before they are filed at their permanent Shelf Number. Sorting shelves are found on Levels 4, 5 and 6 in the Robertson Library and in all other Curtin libraries. Check these shelves if you can't find an item that the catalogue shows should be available ('Check Shelf').
Stand alone printers
You can use these printers to print from a USB drive or disk. They are not 'networked' (connected to the Library's internet computers). You can find stand alone printers on Levels 2 and 3 of the Robertson Library.
Study rooms
Study rooms are available in the Robertson Library on Levels 4, 5 and 6 for small and larger groups and don't need to be booked. Level 6 also has a group study room with computers. See our Study Facilities page.
Subject Heading
Subject headings are set terms that describe the contents of material in library catalogues. The Curtin Library Catalogue uses headings based on the Library of Congress Subject Headings system (LCSH).
Subset
You can search a subset of the Library Catalogue to limit your search to a specific collection or a specific type of material. Catalogue Subsets include the Muresk Library, the Teaching Resources Library, Curtin Theses, Curtin E-Reserve and the Curtin Authors' Collection
Thesaurus
A list of subject terms or subject headings and related terms used by a database to describe its journal articles. Searching with these terms, rather than just keywords, can help you to find more relevant articles. Similar, simpler lists of terms that do not give related terms are called Indexes. A thesaurus is also a type of dictionary giving synonyms for a word. See Trek 2 of InfoTrekk.
Thesis
A research publication or 'dissertation' completed for a Masters or Doctoral degree (PhD). The Robertson Library keeps print Curtin theses in its Closed Collection and many are also available online. See How to find and access Curtin theses.
Transparencies
Also called 'overhead transparencies' or OHTs, these are like large slides that you can use in presentations. You can copy printed material onto a transparency in the Level 2 Photocopiers/Printers Room in the Robertson Library.
TRL
The Teaching Resources Library is on the ground floor of the Education building - Building 501- on the Bentley Campus.
Truncation symbol
This is a symbol (usually an asterisk *) that you can use to stand for any number of letters at the end of a word when you are searching catalogues and databases by keywords. For example australi* will look for australis, australia, australian, australia's, australians in the Curtin Library Catalogue as well as any ProQuest databases. Use the database's Search Help to find the exact truncation symbol it uses.
Unbound journals
Past years of journals can be bound with hard covers like books, while the most recent issues are 'unbound' or loose on the shelves, just as you buy them from a newsagency. You will find unbound issues of journals on Current Journals shelves on levels 4, 5 and 6 of the Robertson Library. In other campus libraries, current issues of a journal may be shelved next to the older, bound, volumes.
View-it tutorial
These are short, movie-like introductions to help you to learn how to use the Library Catalogue, specific databases, EndNote and other Library services.
Volume
A part of a journal or book series. Volume numbers of journals usually increase each year and each volume may have several numbered 'issues' in a year.
Wildcard symbol
A symbol that is used to replace any single character, either within a word or at the end of a word when you are searching databases. The symbol varies with the database, so check the Search Help for the symbol the database uses. For example, in ProQuest databases wom?n searches for woman and women, while organi?ation searches for both organisation and organization.
Wired laptop room
If you have a laptop you can plug it into the internet connections available in this room on Level 4 of the Robertson Library (Room 4.29).
Wireless access
You can access the Curtin network from your laptop by first configuring its inbuilt wireless card. See Wireless Networking @ Curtin for the instructions.
Workshop
The Library holds free workshops in its training rooms. You can book online from our Workshops page.
Your Borrower Information
Use this option in the Library Catalogue to find out what you have borrowed or recalled, if you have a Library fine and to renew your loans. You can also find out which books you have borrowed in the past, which can be useful if you have forgotten to write down the details for your reference list.
Z
Did you know that in 2007 Curtin University had 65 students from Zambia and 95 students from Zimbabwe? We welcome all students to the Library!
